Carried Away
by BlueSuedeShoes
Summary: Oliver looks after Chloe when she passes out on her birthday in the episode Hex


**Based on unfilmed scenes from Hex revealed by Brian Q Miller in a Smallville podcast. Thanks to iliana_1 on LiveJournal for the information.  
>BlueSuede<br>**

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><p><em>Tim-berrrrr<em>! Oliver couldn't help but think, glancing over in time to catch Chloe swooning by the bar, birthday tiara skewed on her now thoroughly tousled hair.

In an instant he was by her side, kicking himself for not realizing she'd had too much sooner. He placed a steadying hand around her lower back. "Hey, there, Sidekick," he teased, "when I told you not to drive a dagger into your corset I didn't think you'd opt for poison instead."

She gave him a hopelessly confused expression. "You're still here," she said. "Everyone's gone." He arched a brow. That was exactly why he'd decided to stay. As soon as he realized even Lois was abandoning Chloe on her birthday, leaving her alone with people she didn't even know, he'd rearranged things a little bit so he at least didn't have to head out until early the next morning. He'd be dead on his feet, but he hadn't had the heart to leave Chloe alone when she was clearly so miserable.

"Yeah...well, things worked out," he said simply, smiling lightly at her, eyebrow lifted.

"Awww, Olliiieee," she flung her arms haphazardly around him in a clumsy hug, nuzzling her face in his chest. He patted her back awkwardly in surprise. "Thanks for not leaving," she said into his shirt. "You're my favorite hero now."

He chuckled, straightening her up again. "Just don't tell Bart. He'll be heartbroken."

Chloe's face fell dramatically. "Even _Bart_ didn't show up for my birthday. And he's _fast_," she looked at Oliver wide-eyed for emphasis. "I mean, he could have been here for like-" she gestured absurdly as if to illustrate Bart's ability to stop in town for a moment, "-and then been on his way."

Oliver felt a pang of guilt. How _was_ it that Chloe had managed to get shuffled into oblivion like this? He was starting to feel a bit bad about giving her a hard time earlier considering how much she'd been going through lately, losing her dream job and her husband. He made a mental note to keep a better eye out for her for the next couple of weeks to make sure she was doing better.

Having got caught up in his concern, Oliver didn't notice when Chloe reached for another birthday cake flavored shot. "Woah, Chloe, I don't think that's such a-"

His hand wasn't quick enough to stop her from downing it. He groaned. So did Chloe. He reached out and caught her the next moment, preventing her from falling off her barstool and hitting the floor. He breathed something that mixed between a sigh and a laugh. "Jeez, Sidekick." He glanced at the bar tender, brow raised in disapproval.

The bartender shrugged. "Her psycho-cousin said give her whatever she wants. Not my fault."

Oliver rolled his eyes at this pathetic excuse for not cutting her off sooner. On the other hand, at least she was out of her misery...for the moment. He scooped her up in his arms to carry her out and paused momentarily, startled by how light she felt in his arms. It wasn't like he wasn't strong enough to carry another person, it was just...Chloe was so _small._ Rationally, he knew she was short. Even the six-inch heels she wore on a regular basis did nothing to help her compete with him for height, but she had such a huge, charismatic personality. Somehow, her physical size didn't really register when she was ordering people about. She had huge presence.

But now...passed out and utterly depleted of life, love, and laughter, she just felt tiny and fragile in every sense of the word. His chest tightened as he glanced at her slackened face. He grabbed her purse and settled it in her arms before carrying her out of the club and hailing a cab.

She stirred just slightly when he settled her in the backseat of the cab, sitting down beside her, and he felt mild relief sweep over him. It was never good to have so much to drink you passed out. He would know, he thought grimly. She moaned, rolling gently and sliding onto his shoulder. He shook his head and wrapped an arm around her to tug her into his side more securely, once again struck by her smallness.

As she came to just a little more, about half-way to her apartment, he felt her snuggle into him, her face burrowing into his neck, and something warm and unfamiliar swept through him as he tried not to enjoy it. He should not be enjoying her inebriation at all. And he certainly shouldn't be pleased when she muttered something that sounded vaguely like, "Smell good," her breath hitting his neck lightly.

_Nope. Shouldn't be enjoying this at all. Pull it together, Queen. You're on a mission here._

Which was more or less what he had to repeat to himself the rest of the ride to her home. When they arrived he payed the cabby first and then scooped her back up into his arms to lift her out of the cab, determinedly not acknowledging the fact that she somehow fit in his arms just right, as if she were made to be there.

_Where did _that_ come from?_ he asked himself. _Chloe. Chloe Sullivan. Lois's cousin. Clark's...something. Watchtower. Not damsel in distress. Not damsel in distress. She would kill you if she knew you were thinking of her as a damsel in distress._ He repeated over and over as he managed to unlock her door and punch in the alarm code she didn't know he knew before carrying her upstairs to her apartment and eventually her room.

He debated briefly from her doorway. Did he stay? Did he help her out of her party dress and into something more comfortable? No. Chloe would be distinctly uncomfortable with both of those things. Best to just set her down on the bed and let her lie. She'd forget all about him being there come hangover anyway.

After coming to slightly in the cab, Chloe had more or less passed out again, but this time into sleep instead of unconsciousness, which was definitely an improvement. He gently lowered her to the bed, her tiara finally falling from her hair as he did so, but Chloe seemed to protest slightly, her arms actively clinging to his neck for a moment. Eyes laden with sleep and clearly not fully aware of what she was doing, Chloe leaned up and pressed a kiss to his nose before dropping her arms from him and curling up on the bed.

Face quite warm all of a sudden, Oliver wondered in amusement whether she'd actually been aiming for his nose or not. Chuckling, he reached down and picked up her tiara and placed it back on her head, brushing the hair from her forehead affectionately before suddenly leaning over and placing a kiss on her forehead.

He straightened up almost immediately, surprised with himself for the impulse.

He ran a hand through his hair, glancing at the ceiling briefly before dropping his arm. Shaking his head, he left her room and closed the door behind him, hoping she slept for a good, long time. She was sure to be miserable in the morning.

As he locked her door behind him, he contemplated coming to check on her and maybe spend a little time with her to make sure she was doing all right. He dismissed the thought firmly. "Let's don't get carried away, Sidekick," he said to the Talon before turning and heading for the impatiently waiting taxi.


End file.
